Hopes, Dreams, and Happiness
by sakachan
Summary: What might have happened to Subaru after he jumped out of the window in X16. AU, kinda dark, and very wierd.
1. Chapter One

Co-written with Kira Seldon ("After Dark"). Written before the last 6 episodes of Asuka, so please be kind with your comments regarding what *actually* happened. We know Subaru returns to Tokyo as a Dragon of Earth, but bear with us! *begging eyes*  
  
Some disclaimers: X and Petshop of Horrors belong to their respective authors. They know who they are, we know who they are, and I hope they don't get mad at us for writing this. ^^;;  
  
  
  
Hopes, Dreams, and Happiness  
  
  
  
Chapter One  
  
by Kira Seldon  
  
  
  
Subaru tried to ignore the screaming of the Sakura in his head. Cherry blossoms whipped past on the gale-force wind, and his bloodstained coat streamed behind him.  
  
He pulled a sheaf of ofuda from his sleeve and threw them towards the tree. "ON!!" he cried against the fierce wind, the screaming in his skull, the deadness in his heart.  
  
The ofuda came to life with a blinding flare of light, and the tree's howl gained a new dimension of terror. Cherry petals became razor-sharp, lashing against his arms and legs, slashing pale skin wherever they touched and shredding his bloody clothing to ribbons.  
  
But he could not let it win easily. It was his last gift to Seishirou, the only thing he could give to balance those few words.  
  
He could set his beloved free.  
  
And he could die then, but now he would. . . not. . . FAIL!  
  
The Tree struck again, dark energies lashing around the cold fire of the ofuda, but nothing could break Subaru's determination. He threw more of the calligraphed papers toward the tree, beginning to chant what he hoped would be his final spell.  
  
The words of exorcism soared above the vicious howl of the wind, and Subaru blinked blood out of his eyes as one of the razor-edged petals slashed his forehead. He raised his voice, the spell clear and cold and perfect as it had never been before. His heart was undivided at last.  
  
A blow slipping around his protections struck him to his knees, white agony filling his mind, but nothing could halt the flow of the words. They were, by now, ingrained in memory. Distraction was pointless.  
  
The Tree howled, keening in shock and fury as the spell drew tighter around it. Subaru ignored his own pain and rose again to his feet, repeating the exorcism as the winds curled around him and slashed at his fragile body. He ignored them.  
  
Its scream rose and rose and suddenly shattered into the blinding flare of the ofuda. Within the ring of light, the thick trunk of the Sakura became transparent as glass, dark shadows within flooding free to the afterlife.  
  
There were so many of them. . . Subaru stared as the cavalcade of souls, grisly harvest of hundreds or thousands of years of murder, thinned to mist and vanished. The keen of the Sakura as it gave up its prisoners cut through his head with vicious strength, determined that it would take its master with it to Hell.  
  
Even through the red mist fogging his vision, Subaru recognized one of the souls flitting soundlessly away from the Tree. Green eyes— a pair, not blemished by milky white as his were now— fixed on him, and the shade of Hokuto dashed to his side. She glared.  
  
"You idiot, Subaru! What were you thinking trying to do this alone?! Get killed and I will make sure your afterlife is Hell!" She grabbed his hand, her ghostly fingers barely a memory of touch against his blood-streaked palm. The keen of the Sakura dropped away to a whisper, and Hokuto laughed.  
  
"Ohohohoho! Take that, tree!"  
  
Subaru smiled, comfort creeping over him as his twin's hand tightened on his. He focused on the spell, ignoring the dizziness of blood loss and exhaustion. The dark tide of souls slackened, then stopped, and he drew a painful breath. Had Seishirou passed unnoticed in the flood of shades?  
  
Then, as the ofudas' light flickered, a single soul rose from the twisted Tree. A man in clothing of an ancient style, hands stained with ghostly blood, he stared at Subaru and dissolved without words. Another followed, then another, in a stately progression entirely unlike the flood of souls  
  
that had preceded them. The Sakurazukamori, Subaru realized, with a shock, and his eyes fixed on the progression with a desperate hunger.  
  
A woman, hands bloodstained but face as unlined and innocent as a child's, smiled at them and dissipated slowly. The next shade to form was heartbreakingly familiar. The mismatched gaze traveled to the Sumeragi twins, standing hand in hand, and he smiled. Instead of dissipating as had the others, he stepped down from the air and strolled to them.  
  
"Hello, Subaru-kun, Hokuto-chan," he called, as the Sakura crumbled to splinters and rotten powder inside the ring of ofuda and the thin cry finally faded into oblivion.  
  
Hokuto dropped Subaru's hand and dashed to Seishirou. He only had time to blink before her hand impacted with the side of his face. Apparently ghosts had no trouble touching each other. The ex-Sakurazukamori staggered with the force of Hokuto's slap.  
  
She glared. "You IDIOT, Sei-chan! You weren't supposed to ACTIVATE the spell!"  
  
One hand over his cheek, Seishirou muttered, "You haven't changed much, have you, Hokuto-chan."  
  
"I'm a GHOST! What do you EXPECT me to do, grow up?! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO MARRY SUBARU, NOT IGNORE HIM JUST BECAUSE I'M NOT AROUND TO SHOVE YOU TOGETHER!!" She waved an arm wildly at Subaru, who was swaying from the aftereffects of defeating the Tree and the impact of Hokuto's voice, which even posthumously could achieve considerable volume. "Look at him! What were you THINKING, Sei-chan, my brother's twenty-five years old and still a virgin!"  
  
Subaru choked. Somehow, over the years, he'd forgotten Hokuto's ability to embarrass him.  
  
"And now you've gotten yourself killed, what's Subaru supposed to do?! He NEEDS someone to take care of him, he's too thin and, and. . ." She squinted at Subaru. "He looks like hell. Right, Sei-chan, make this short and then I have to bully him to a hospital."  
  
She walked over to the tree and started kicking vengefully at the twisted stump as Seishirou turned to Subaru. Her muttering floated on the still air to Subaru. "Take that! And that! That'll teach you to mess with the Sumeragis!"  
  
Subaru only stared at Seishirou's ghost, choked to silence. "Subaru-kun. . ." Seishirou said, not moving closer. "I knew from the moment I met you that you would be an exceptional Sakurazukamori. But I have to admit, I didn't know you'd be this exceptional." He cast a rueful glance back at the rotten remains of the Sakura. "Congratulations."  
  
A soft, desperate whisper tore almost unwillingly from Subaru's throat. "Seishirou-san. . ."  
  
The older man turned that quick, blinding smile on him. "What?"  
  
"Did you mean. . . what you said. . .?"  
  
"Of course!" Seishirou laughed, and suddenly his quicksilver expression became deadly serious. "I can't stay here too long, but I will be waiting for you, Subaru-kun." He faded away to mist on the wind as Subaru, belatedly, tried to touch him.  
  
Hokuto dashed over. "That was quick. He'd better at least have kissed you good-bye."  
  
"Hokuto-chan—" Subaru protested weakly as her hands came to rest on her hips.  
  
"That idiot," she said decisively. "Subaru, get yourself to a hospital, and it had BETTER be a long, LONG time before we see you again! Oh, and remember to eat! And buy some better CLOTHES, honestly. . ." Her wide emerald eyes shone with tears for a moment, then she threw her arms around him and kissed him quickly on the cheek. "Take care—!" She vanished swiftly, and distant voices rang out.  
  
"Sei-chan, wait for a lady!! Where are your manners?"  
  
"What? Where? What lady?"  
  
"SEI-chaaaan—"  
  
Subaru sank slowly to his knees as the beloved voices faded away on the air. Alone again. Forever. His tears stung in the thin cuts the sakura petals had carved in his face.  
  
He was no longer a Dragon of Heaven. His kekkai was broken, he had nothing left in this world to protect. No reason, in fact, to stay in Japan, where he was bound to his Fate by the very name he bore.  
  
Everyone thought he was dead, or would when they discovered the shattered Sakura.  
  
It sounded like a lovely time to move somewhere where no one would recognize the name of Sumeragi. Somewhere where he could evade the resources of both the Sumeragi House and the Imonoyama family. . .  
  
California was supposed to be lovely this time of year.  
  
As he moved, shadowed by illusion, through the thinning Tokyo crowds to his apartment, he had the distinct feeling that Hokuto would approve.  
  
* * *  
  
The bustle of crowds, hundreds of Chinese people milling through the brightly colored stands and shops, a thousand voices chattering in dialects foreign to Subaru's ears. He thought he occasionally heard a word of Japanese, but never managed to spot the person who spoke.  
  
He was beginning to wish that he had stayed in school longer, or perhaps attended more of the classes while he WAS enrolled. He spoke no English and barely more Chinese, and his situation seemed blacker by the moment.  
  
At least he could read the signs. . . the ones in Chinese, that is. The welcome word "hotel" had yet to appear.  
  
Finally, disheartened, he came to a stop near an unmarked iron gate. He pulled his cigarettes from a pocket and shook one of them from the box, catching it between his fingers and putting the crumpled packet away. He lit the cigarette, watched the smoke curl away into the air for a moment, and wondered why he was here. Really, he ought to be dead, except that Hokuto  
  
had saved him again and he. . .  
  
He turned his head towards the iron gates at the top of the stairs, frowning. This was not too much of a change from his previous expression. He could feel a strange aura of power hanging around the place.  
  
Long-established instinct took precedence over the small voice in the back of his head that reprimanded, "Are you trying to hide or not?!" He cautiously approached the gates.  
  
They opened at a touch. Following the long flight of stairs, he came at last upon a brightly painted Chinese gate. The red and gold paint shimmered even in the dim light.  
  
Subaru knocked.  
  
He waited patiently for several minutes before finally deciding to go in. The door opened soundlessly as he stepped inside. There was a heavy curtain of incense smoke in the air, and he coughed on the sickly sweet scent. Blinking tearing eyes (well, eye) he looked around the room.  
  
It was decorated in lavish brocade and Oriental furniture, with delicate Chinese vases as accents. A lacquered screen cut off any further rooms.  
  
Suddenly, a small white kitten streaked out from under one of the sofas and careened towards Subaru. He took a step back, surprised. The cat caught the edge of his coat and began climbing it. It finally reached his shoulder, dug in all twenty claws for a safer purchase, and started washing his cheek.  
  
Subaru blinked. After a moment, he smiled, and plucked the cat off his shoulder. It howled in protest, then settled to a purr as he cradled it in his arms. Vivid green eyes closed as he scratched its chin.  
  
"You seem to have made a friend," a soft, slightly accented voice said in perfect Japanese.  
  
Subaru dropped the cat. It yowled and swiped at his ankle, drawing blood.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to intrude, but no one answered and the door was unlocked and. . ." he trailed off as the man who had spoken moved out from behind the screen.  
  
A long silk cheongsam whispered against the wooden floor as the man stepped forward. Long, lacquered fingernails caught the light as he reached down to pick up the complaining white cat. His straight black hair fell back from his face as he straightened and regarded Subaru with two-toned golden and purple eyes. He glowed with an aura of immense, constrained power.  
  
"Welcome to my pet shop," he smiled. "I am Count D."  
  
"My name is Subaru," Subaru replied, recovering a little from his shock.  
  
"Have you come to buy a pet?" the Count inquired, cuddling the cat. For some reason, the cat appeared to be laughing.  
  
"No," Subaru said, and bowed slightly. "Please forgive me. Do you know if there is a hotel nearby?"  
  
"It's quite a distance," D murmured. "Will you stay for some tea, Subaru- san?"  
  
"Thank you, but I should be going. . ." Subaru replied.  
  
"Wonderful! This way please," the Count chimed, ignoring Subaru's attempt to leave. He put the cat down and led the way behind the screen.  
  
By the time Subaru reluctantly followed, the Count had already laid out a formidable spread. A pile of swirly cookies with jelly centers, just like the kind Hokuto used to make, held the place of honor. Subaru didn't know how the Count thought two people were going to eat that many cookies. D glanced up at Subaru, and the white cat took the opportunity to pilfer one of the cookies.  
  
"Are those good for cats?" Subaru said, sitting down on the sofa. The cat glanced up and growled briefly, sending a small shower of crumbs onto the carpet.  
  
"She thinks so," D replied, sitting down and taking a large handful of cookies. "Do you want one?"  
  
"No thank you." Subaru sighed. "I really cannot stay long, I need to find somewhere to stay for the night." And he didn't particularly want to stay here, not when the entire point of leaving Japan had been to sever his ties with the spiritual establishment.  
  
"Oh but you must! They're very good!" D exclaimed, and poured his handful of cookies onto Subaru's plate. "Please?"  
  
"All right," Subaru said, not seeing many options.  
  
"Wonderful!"  
  
The cat, wearing a smug and jelly-smeared smile, leapt up next to Subaru and attempted to sneak another cookie. Subaru looked down at the pile of cookies, opening his mouth to speak.  
  
Whatever he was going to say was lost forever, as the cat took the opportunity to shove its cookie into his mouth.  
  
"MMMMFFF!"  
  
"She really does like you," D caroled, clasping his long-nailed hands. "You have quite a way with animals, Subaru-san."  
  
After Subaru cleared the crumbs from his mouth with D's admittedly excellent tea, the Count inquired, "So you are from Japan?"  
  
Subaru nodded warily.  
  
"Where?" D said, sipping his tea.  
  
"Tokyo," Subaru said.  
  
"A lovely city!" D exclaimed. "I've been there a few times. It's especially beautiful in spring when the sakura are in full bloom."  
  
Subaru choked on his tea. He glared defensively at D. The Count smiled back with perfect innocence.  
  
After a long moment, Subaru nodded in agreement.  
  
"Are you here on business?" D asked. "Oh, do have another cookie."  
  
Subaru picked up one of the cookies, and stared at it without making any move to eat it.  
  
The cat took a swipe at the cookie, trying to steal it. He moved his hand out of the way.  
  
"I'm. . . not really here on business, no," Subaru said.  
  
D nodded. "A vacation, then! Certainly it's a good time to leave Tokyo for a little, those earthquakes I've heard about seem very frightening! But if you want to get away from earthquakes, Los Angeles is perhaps not the place to go."  
  
"That's true," Subaru agreed, watching the Count warily.  
  
"How long will you be here?" the Count continued.  
  
"I'm not going back to Japan," Subaru replied sharply, the cooling tea splashing over his hands as they suddenly tightened on the cup.  
  
Purple and gold eyes narrowed as the Count lifted his own teacup. "Is that so. Not business, and not a vacation, then. Tell me, Subaru-san, why is the Head of the Sumeragis here?"  
  
Subaru caught the cup before it hit the ground. "I am not," he said, his voice cold and shaking slightly, "a Sumeragi."  
  
The Count inquired, with a tiny smile on his face, "Then is it Sakurazuka?"  
  
The fine porcelain rang sharply as Subaru placed his cup on the table and stood. "Thank you for your hospitality," he said with a very slight bow, and strode out of the room. His steps were a little too rapid for a graceful exit. It was more of a desperate retreat.  
  
D's smile widened as the white cat leapt from the sofa and streaked into the other room after Subaru. He took another cookie and waited, counting silently to himself.  
  
At "eight," there was a loud feline yowl and an even louder thud from the other room. D stood and swept out.  
  
Subaru was trying to get up from the floor. The cat hung onto his black shirt, every hair standing perfectly on end, and doing a very good job of keeping him pinned, considering that Subaru outweighed it by at least fifty pounds.  
  
"Oh dear!" D exclaimed. "I do hope you're not hurt! You must watch where you step, I own many small animals and some of them tend to get underfoot."  
  
Subaru picked the cat up by the scruff of its neck and detached it from his shirt. "That," he said, "was not an accident."  
  
"I'm so sorry, she can get out of hand sometimes," D said, accepting the cat. It winked at him.  
  
Subaru stood, trying helplessly to scrape some of the heavy layer of white fur off of his chest. "I did not leave Japan because I wanted to be reminded of my past," he snapped.  
  
"Of course not," D apologized. "I understand perfectly."  
  
Subaru muttered something under his breath.  
  
"Please," D said calmly. "Come back and finish your tea. We have more to talk about than you believe."  
  
Subaru looked at the cat, which was purring loudly as D scratched its chin. "All right," he said with bad grace. "Since you two seem determined to keep me here."  
  
He followed the Chinese man back to the elegant tea room, and reclaimed his seat. D put the cat down. It immediately ran to Subaru and leapt into his lap, settling comfortably. He sighed, and offered the cat his hand. It considered for a moment, then rubbed its cheek against his fingers.  
  
"She does get along with you very well," the Count said, pouring himself some more tea. "Do you like animals, Subaru-san?"  
  
Subaru smiled at the cat as it purred loudly and butted its head against his hand. "Yes, I do," he admitted.  
  
"As do I," D smiled. Something chirped, and Subaru looked up.  
  
He stared with amazement at the little bat-winged creature that swooped on the cookies, tiny hands outstretched and black button eyes shining with delight. It was nothing natural. That was very obvious.  
  
The creature managed to get a grip on one of the cookies and hauled it happily off to the unlit chandelier. D watched with a slight smile on his face, and ate another cookie. Subaru realized that, between D, the cat, and the bat thing, there were hardly any cookies left.  
  
He sighed. At least he didn't have to eat too many of them. He wasn't that fond of sweet things.  
  
"Do you have any experience caring for animals?" D inquired, quite casually.  
  
Subaru looked down at the cat, his smile slipping away. "No," he said, and then continued in a burst of candor, "I wanted to study to be a zookeeper, but. . . I had to focus on other things."  
  
"Family responsibilities?" D suggested.  
  
Subaru laughed without any humor. "Yes."  
  
"You seem to be free now," D suggested. "And very good with animals. I could use some help running my shop."  
  
"Are you offering me a job?" Subaru asked, looking up from the cat. It tilted its head, looking at D with interest.  
  
D smiled. "Do you want one?"  
  
Subaru considered his current employability. He couldn't speak English, he couldn't clean house or cook, and he definitely wasn't going back to Japan anytime soon.  
  
". . . Yes."  
  
D's smile grew even wider. "Wonderful! It is sometimes difficult for me to care for all my animals. Some of them have very specific needs. I carry some . . . extremely rare creatures."  
  
"I really don't have any experience," Subaru said, doubtful.  
  
"I'll write out the requirements of the creatures you will care for. You don't need to do anything but follow them." D put his tea down and stole the last cookie from under the claws of the cat. It retreated to the couch in a huff as he finished the cookie and stood. "You will need somewhere to stay. I have a few spare rooms. . ."  
  
* * *  
  
Subaru didn't exactly have many belongings to stow in the lavish bedroom D had explained was kept for guests. In fact, he seemed to have brought nothing more than the clothes on his back. D shook his head over that and pointed out that Subaru would at least need more than one suit of clothing if he really intended to stay long.  
  
The cat jumped up onto the bed, bringing its head a little closer to human level, and nodded smugly along.  
  
Subaru, outnumbered, agreed.  
  
Finally, D scooped up the white kitten and left, advising that Subaru get some sleep since he didn't look like he'd had a full night's sleep in weeks.  
  
"Happy?" D murmured to the cat as he walked back to the tea room. It nodded, and leapt down onto the table as he began quietly clearing the dishes.  
  
He looked up at the kitten as it sprawled out on the sofa, leaving large amounts of white fur on the upholstery. To his eyes, the "kitten" was a young Japanese girl, short black hair sweeping around her pointed feline ears. A white tail flicked absently behind her. Her clothes were a flight of imagination: the jacket was black brocade cut into a wide netting, over a tight minidress that shaded from maroon at the hem to white at the high neck, a bunch of white ribbons threading through the neck and cascading down the front. D hadn't quite figured out how she managed it, but she wore a different outfit every day. Compared to some he'd seen, this was quite tame.  
  
She grinned at him, and stretched out comfortably. "Yeah! Thanks a lot. I didn't figure on being a cat when I went looking for a reincarnation that would let me keep an eye on Subaru."  
  
"You take to it well," D commented, as he swept the last crumbs from the table. "Do you want these, Hokuto-san?"  
  
"No thanks, I'll just make more," she waved, then glared. "Hey, I *said* you should call me Hokuto-chan. The only one who calls me 'san' is my grandmother."  
  
D bowed his head in graceful acquiescence. Hokuto sighed.  
  
"I can't believe Subaru moved to America and didn't bring any CLOTHES. He's the ONLY one who would do something so. . . so. . ." She trailed off, with a very feline growl, and her tail lashed. Suddenly she perked up and bounced to her feet. "Hey! You think I could go shopping with him? He needs my expert fashion advice."  
  
"Certainly," D said. "But I don't believe he can understand you."  
  
"Ohohohohoho! He'll understand me grabbing something off the rack and dragging it to the cashier," Hokuto said, and her smile showed distinctly pointed teeth. "But for now. . ." She tapped her finger against her chin.  
  
"Hey! Can he borrow one of your dress things?"  
  
"He may not," D said frostily.  
  
"But I'm sure it'd fit him, you're almost the same height and you're both way too thin. Hey, you know, you'd be a billionaire if you could sell whatever it is that lets you eat ALL my cookies and stay that size. But Subaru would fit your clothes— well, his shoulders might be a little wider than yours, but not MUCH. And he doesn't have any of his own except those HORRIBLE black things, which are dirty anyway after he walked through half of LA wearing them. You really should. Besides," she added, laughing, "I've always wondered what Subaru would look like in a dress. . ."  
  
"It is not a dress," D said, crossing his arms and glaring at Hokuto. "It is a cheongsam. It is traditional Chinese clothing."  
  
"It's got a skirt," Hokuto shrugged, and stared at the clean table. "You ate the last cookie. I didn't get to have more than two of them and I made the whole batch."  
  
"You are a great deal smaller than I am, Hokuto-chan," D said, directing his glare at the opposite wall.  
  
"But I'm a growing cat!" she laughed, and bounced to her feet. "It's not late or anything, it's the middle of the afternoon. I'm going to go make some more cookies. You have to come help."  
  
"I don't know how you can claim you made them," D murmured, "when all you do is direct me around the kitchen."  
  
"They're my own recipe!" Hokuto exclaimed. "The director's the most important person in a movie, right?"  
  
D sighed, and stood up. "Oh, all right. But do remember to put my name in the credits."  
  
"Great!" Hokuto cheered, and dashed ahead of him into the kitchen. Anyone else would have seen a white long-haired kitten frisking about his feet as he walked. Only D heard the running monologue.  
  
". . . So that means Subaru can borrow something to wear, right? Come on, just for tomorrow, until I can convince him to go shopping. . ."  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh please? Pleeeeeeeease? Come on. . ."  
  
"No."  
  
"If I share more cookie recipes?"  
  
D hesitated.  
  
* * *  
  
A faint scratching woke Subaru the next morning. He blinked up at the ceiling for a moment. It seemed very folded and far too dark to be the ceiling of either his apartment or anywhere in the Imonoyama mansion.  
  
Slowly, he remembered. He was in a pet shop in LA. Where he was now working.  
  
And for the first time in years, he hadn't dreamed all night.  
  
He sat up, yawning, and squinted at the clock on the opposite wall. It was. . . nearly noon?!  
  
There was a loud feline howl from the other side of the door. Subaru pulled himself out of bed. "Coming," he assured the cat, trying to straighten out the sleeve of his shirt. It had become twisted somehow while he was sleeping, and it was just tight enough that it wouldn't simply straighten itself out.  
  
He opened the door, and stared down at the cat.  
  
"Mrow!" it said plainly, and tugged at the cuff of his pants with one paw.  
  
Subaru sighed, picked up the elegant and slightly crumpled cheongsam in one hand, and scooped up the cat with the other. "All right, all right. Does D know you stole this?"  
  
The cat nodded distinctly. Subaru stared at it.  
  
"Just how intelligent are you anyway?"  
  
It smirked. But then, all cats could smirk.  
  
Subaru spread the outfit out on his bed and looked at it. "So. . . if you're that intelligent, you can help me figure out how to put this on, right?"  
  
For some reason its stuttering meow sounded remarkably like a peal of laughter. The cat leapt up on the bed and began directing, with remarkably efficient sign language.  
  
Some time later, Subaru gave his reflection a very dubious look. The face was the same, except that he looked far less tired than usual. His hair was unruly as usual, despite the cat's attempts to lick it flat. However, from the chin down, he looked a great deal like the Count.  
  
The cat had somehow managed to pilfer an outfit in deep blue-green, sketched with a spiderweb pattern, and drag both it and the matching pants to his door. However, he was taller than the Count by a margin wide enough that the hem ended at mid-calf rather than at his ankles. The slits along the side were hardly evident, since the cat had managed to drag the matching pants with the cheongsam. He still wasn't sure how it had done that. It looked about three or four weeks old, barely enough that it had fur and color in its eyes and certainly not bigger than an average guinea pig.  
  
The cat looked him up and down with a clear air of approval, and meowed again. Subaru smiled at it, and lifted it quickly to his shoulder. It settled happily down, careful not to knead on the fine silk.  
  
"Shall we go down, then?" he asked it. The cat chirruped agreement. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
  
by Saka-chan  
  
  
  
Subaru quietly walked along the multicolored tile flooring of the large LA mall his white feline companion had convinced him to come to. He walked with an air of confidence, even though he could tell that the hundreds of occupants that populated the mall were staring at him with avid curiosity.  
  
"Check out the guy in the dress," a girl with short blonde hair whispered to her brunette associate. They themselves were wearing outfits not fit for prostitutes.  
  
The white cat that accompanied Subaru turned and glared at the whorish blonde. It hopped from its happy resting place in his arms and dashed over to the young girl. It swiped her left ankle, drawing a small trickle of dark red blood. The blonde let out a high pitch scream, jumping up into the arms of her friend.  
  
Noticing the cat's sudden absence, Subaru turned in the direction of the scream. Seeing the feline sitting proudly before the shocked girl, he sighed and ran over to where it and the girls stood. He quickly scooped the cat up, an embarrassed look plastered across his face.  
  
"I am very sorry!" he said to the girls through his thick Japanese accent. "Please excuse me." He gave them a fazed smile, then quickened his pace in the opposite direction.  
  
"Was that really necessary?" he asked the cat in Japanese. It nodded, smirking.  
  
The two of them finally came upon a large department store; black, faceless mannequins displayed diverse styles of clothing in the store's enormous windows. Subaru glanced down at the cat, which nodded in approval.  
  
Subaru stepped into the differently decorated department store. Almost immediately, his nostrils were overcome by the sensation of overpowering perfumes. Subaru wondered if every shop owner in LA made sure customers couldn't breathe the minute they stepped through the door. Light, happy Muzak flowed in the background, annoying the hell out of Subaru. The white cat covered its ears with its small white paws, wearing a noticeably irritated expression.  
  
"May I help you, sir?"  
  
Subaru turned in the direction of a high pitched feminine voice, and noticed a brunette woman wearing a bright pink dress suit coming toward him. Her face was plastered with odd, intrusive make up— horrendous, dark purple lipstick drenched full, pouty lips; rose tinted eyelids poorly accented almond shaped, honey colored eyes; magenta mascara finished off the clown appearance, along with the aide of too much hot pink blush.  
  
The white cat in Subaru's arms let out a stuttering meow, which sounded much like laughter. Subaru merely gazed at the woman, trying to be polite.  
  
"Is there something I can do for you?" the woman asked with an near-sincere smile, her tone too chipper to belong to any human. Subaru winced. So there WAS someone more cheerful than Sorata. . .  
  
"Eigo wo hanashimasen," he replied regretfully. The saleswoman looked at him for a moment, before smiling again.  
  
"That's okay," she replied in surprisingly comprehendible Japanese. "Now, are you looking for something in particular?"  
  
"Yes," he answered, relieved he had run into another person with whom he could speak. "I need some new outfits."  
  
'Thank God,' she thought. "Right this way."  
  
Subaru followed the ill-dressed woman deeper into the store, eventually ending up in the men's department. What sounded like rock music rang throughout the not so hidden speakers that decorated the large area that surrounded him.  
  
The woman in pink turned to Subaru, the same feigned smile upon her clownish face. She held up a pair of dark blue jean shorts, along with a white T-shirt and orange plaid, short sleeve button down shirt. "This style is very popular with boys your age," she chimed.  
  
Subaru looked down at the cat, who had a frown of disapproval on its face. It shook its head, then leapt from his arms. He moved to chase after it, but decided it was intelligent enough to fend for itself. The woman appeared not to care about the loose animal in the store, which was fine with him.  
  
"No, thank you," he replied. "It seems my companion wants me to wear something else." The woman shrugged, heading off further into the forest of racks and clothing in search of a better outfit.  
  
Just as quickly as it had left, the cat returned. It snagged the edge of Subaru's, or rather the Count's, cheongsam, pulling him toward the back of the men's section. He shrugged, allowing the cat to take him where it desired.  
  
Subaru stood before several racks of different color dress jackets and pants. The cat smiled at him, only to run off again. Subaru stepped forward to examine the various jackets.  
  
The cat returned once again, dragging with it a grey dress shirt. Subaru picked the article up and looked at it. Grey was not the most interesting of colors, but it was a suitable color for him. The cat then grabbed from the rack of jackets a black, three button jacket with equally black buttons. Next, it pulled down a pair of black dress pants.  
  
Subaru took a look at the small ensemble, nodding his head. "Nice choice," he commented to the cat in Japanese. It him flashed an 'of course! You expected otherwise?' smirk, to which Subaru could not help but chuckle. The cat dashed off again, reappearing with a flat black hat that maintained a white hatband.  
  
Subaru stared, but decided it was worth a shot. It was similar to what his sister used to make him wear. What was the harm?  
  
* * *  
  
Subaru stared at himself in the dressing room mirror. He wore a black tank top with raised neck beneath an open, marshmallow white four button jacket. Marshmallow white Dockers were held up by thin black belt. Atop his head rested a flat black hat, hugged by a white hatband with a red stripe in the middle.  
  
He could not help noticing that, even though he was nine years older, he looked exactly like his past self.  
  
It saddened him and freaked him out at the same time.  
  
"You look very nice, sir," the woman in the pink suit, who Subaru noted was named 'Shirley,' said. She brushed invisible dust from his right shoulder, straightening the jacket for some reason Subaru could not figure out.  
  
"You like this, don't you?" he asked the cat, who nodded vigorously. Subaru sighed and turned to the saleswoman.  
  
"Thank you," he said with bow of the head. "I think I'll try on the next one."  
  
He stepped back into the enclosed wooden dressing cubicle. He came out a few minutes later, sporting the same black tank top he had worn with the previous outfit, along with moderately tight by design black pants. His red jacket flaunted two golden buttons opposite a pair of small golden strips at the bottom of the jacket, and came down to about his upper waist. On his head was yet another black hat, but with a red hatband this time.  
  
The next outfit was a lavender dress shirt underneath a dark purple, four button jacket that kept a small breast pocket on the left side of his chest; this was all elegantly accented by the equally purple neck tie that was fixed around his neck. Dark purple cotton dress pants, topped off by a dark purple hat with a lavender hat band.  
  
Outfit number five, by Subaru's count, was the least involved of all. It was simply a white dress shirt with collar and dark red pants, followed up by a dark red tie and visor. The white seemed to like this outfit the least, but still showed an interest in Subaru's wearing it.  
  
Coming out of the dressing cubicle for a sixth run, Subaru wore a handsome, plain blue suit with black lapels above a black, sleeveless turtleneck. The white cat had insisted that he wear a blue cape of the same blue, and was very irritated by the fact that he had refused.  
  
"I think the suit itself is fine," he said to the cat. "I don't see the need in paying the extra for something that's just going to get in the way of my work anyway."  
  
The cat sighed in defeat, which was strange for a cat, and allowed Subaru to display the rest of his, or rather it's, chosen outfits.  
  
The next outfit consisted of a very choice, plain grey tunic that had a thin, white band bordering the high collar as well as the zipper seam, which cut off at the end of the upper thigh length tunic. This was added to by grey cotton dress pants and a grey, wide brimmed bowler-style hat with a black hatband.  
  
After that, Subaru paraded the same raised neck black tank top he had sported in three outfits already, along with snug, black pants. He wore a fine blue dress coat, a blue hat and black hatband accentuating it. The last outfit he tried on was similar, only replacing the blue jacket with a reddish-purple one, and trading the blue hat for one of the same color as his new jacket.  
  
Subaru sighed with near relief as he moved back into his 'borrowed' cheongsam. Three hours of choosing clothing, then having to parade them around for the little white cat and the overly chipper Shirley. All he wanted to do now was pay for the clothing and go back to the petshop for a much needed break.  
  
"Thank you very much," he bowed. "I think I'm ready to pay for all this now. . ."  
  
Suddenly it hit him— he would have to use money that was in the name of 'Sumeragi' to pay for his new clothing. The though made him ache. All that effort for nothing.  
  
Apparently the cat had picked up on his sense of worry. It began to rub its head against his ankle, purring, then looked up at him with its shining emerald eyes. Subaru frowned, bending down to pet his feline associate.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I don't want use my family's money to pay for this," he spoke softly to it. The cat looked at him for a moment, before giving him a reassuring grin. It tapped the small slit in the fabric of his pants.  
  
Subaru raised his brow in question. He reached into the slit, discovering it to be a pocket. . . with a credit card laying neatly inside.  
  
"Does D know you stole this as well?" he asked, noticing Count D's name on the small piece of plastic. The cat flashed him an innocent smile. "I'll just make up for it."  
  
"Where do I go to pay for all this?" he asked Shirley.  
  
"If you'll follow me. . ."  
  
* * *  
  
Stepping out through the wide entrance of the department store, Subaru swiftly made his way to a nearby bench to sit down. The white cat followed, falling into his lap for a rest. Immediately, his hand went to pet the animal, listening to the happy purring resonating in its throat.  
  
"Happy now?" he asked. The cat nodded. "Well, we'd better get back. D's probably waiting up for us."  
  
The cat paused. It lifted its head and began sniffing the air. A bright gleam entered its eyes, and it turned its head to meet Subaru's, flashing him an excited smile.  
  
"What is it now?" The cat hopped from his lap onto the multicolored, tiled flooring. It tugged at his cheongsam with its teeth, pulling Subaru to his feet. "Okay, okay. . . I'm up."  
  
The little white feline persisted in trying to drag Subaru in the direction it wanted to go. Subaru sighed. He picked up the pair of heavy shopping bags, once again allowing the cat to drag him off somewhere.  
  
It eventually pulled him to a large, overcrowded food court. The smell of Chinese food, Mexican food, pizza, pasta, burgers, and french fries mingled together in a tantalizing, yet nauseating, aroma.  
  
"You're hungry?" he asked it. It nodded vigorously, continuing to pull him along. It lead him to a short line belonging to the Chinese food stand. He sighed, picking the cat up and resting it on his free arm.  
  
"It might be hard for you to order," he commented. The cat shook its head, then pointed at him with its paw. "I don't know what you want," he said bluntly. "I suppose you want me to just pick something for you?"  
  
It nodded.  
  
"Very well. . ." he sighed. "But I don't speak English, remember? How am I going to order?"  
  
It gave him a 'think of a way' look. Subaru shook his head. This cat was too demanding.  
  
The cat dove into one of the shopping bags. Subaru picked up a tray resting at the side of the food stand.  
  
"What would you like?" an older Asian man asked with a sincere smile. Subaru assumed the man was asking for his order and pointed at the heap of sweet and sour chicken, then to the pile of white rice. "To drink?"  
  
Subaru gazed at the man blankly. Having no idea what had been said, he shook his head. He did not want to buy something he did not need merely because he could not speak English.  
  
Carrying his tray over to the cash register, he thanked the gods he at least knew how to read numbers. He quickly paid for his meal, then rushed away from the food stand.  
  
Finding an empty seat away from the middle of the court, on the outer edges near the mall's main body, he sighed and set down the bags, which were supported by only one of his arms. The small white cat hopped out from the bag and onto the table. It stared lovingly at the food for a moment, before noticing the absence of forks or chopsticks.  
  
The cat swatted Subaru's head, almost as if it was smacking him in the head. Subaru stared questioningly at it. "What? You don't like sweet and sour chicken?"  
  
It shook its head and began making motions that there was need for an eating utensil. "You don't need a fork," he stated. The cat continued in making signals.  
  
Subaru gave up. This was a debate too small to fight against. He got up and retrieved the cat its desired fork, setting the utensil before it. "Happy?"  
  
Now the cat began to motion for Subaru to eat. He shook his head. "I'm not hungry." The cat growled, glaring at him in annoyance. The action surprised him, but he again decided he should not bicker with the animal over such a stupid subject such as eating.  
  
He picked up the white plastic fork and began to consume the fairly large meal. Actually, it came as a relief to him. He had trouble remembering the last time he had eaten a substantial meal. The Count's cookies were good, but they didn't provide the sustenance his sister had scolded him to attain.  
  
The cat smiled as it watched Subaru munch down the platter of food. Every so often it would steal a small piece of the delicious sauced chicken.  
  
Looking up for a second, the cat noticed a man walking towards it and Subaru. It stood up, staring in the man's direction as he approached the two of them.  
  
"Nice outfit," the man said wryly. "I know a guy who wears something exactly like that."  
  
Subaru glanced up, curious as to why he had not detected the man's approach. The man was wearing a blue LAPD jacket, a white T-shirt, and fading blue jeans. Part of his hair was tied back into a small ponytail, and his expression was nothing short of suspicion. "You wouldn't happen to know a guy named Count D, would you?" the man asked.  
  
Hearing the Count's name, Subaru turned to fully face the man. "Gomen?"  
  
"Huh?" The man stepped back in surprise. "What'd you say?"  
  
"Eh?" Subaru asked in confusion.  
  
The man looked at him assessingly. "Do you speak English?" he asked, putting into practice the theory that anybody can understand what you say, as long as you say it slowly and loudly.  
  
"Gomen. . . eigo wo hanashimasen," Subaru said. He had a feeling the man would not be like the Shirley the saleswoman and speak to him in Japanese.  
  
"Huh?!" The man stared at Subaru with confusion. Finally, he decided it wasn't worth the effort of conversing with this strange fellow who *obviously* spoke no English. "Whatever. . ." He walked away from Subaru, shaking his head.  
  
Subaru turned to face the cat. "Who was that?" he asked it. The cat shrugged.  
  
* * *  
  
Subaru opened the brightly lacquered doors that allowed entrance into D's pet shop. He stepped into the thickly scented, dimly lit hall, setting his shopping bags down without a sound. His feline companion zoomed past his ankles in a white flash of pure energy.  
  
"Someone's glad to be home," he said, grinning. He stepped further into the lushly decorated entrance hall. After spending almost four hours inside the mall, where his sense of smell was exploited and maltreated by the various smells of noxious perfumes and heavy food, he no longer took notice of the scent of incense that plagued D's shop.  
  
Subaru had noticed a black sedan parked outside the front of the petshop, and assumed D was meeting with some clientele. Not wanting to interrupt him, Subaru decided it better to go back to his room and rest.  
  
He lifted his bags from the ground and headed into the back rooms of the shop. Stepping inside his own room, he laid the bags upon his bed and began hanging them up. Why he was doing it, he did not know; he simply felt like he had to.  
  
Once he was done with that chore, he threw the empty bags into the closet and slid its door shut. He swept his short bangs back from his forehead, sighing. He had gotten plenty of sleep earlier, more than he could remember receiving in fact. Yet his expression was fatigued, and he felt strangely worn out.  
  
Without second thought, he fell onto his bed with a thump. His head lethargically lolled off to the side.  
  
Noticing the small, black television that sat silently within his room, Subaru felt around for the remote. Finally spotting it on the dresser, Subaru sighed and lifted himself in the direction of the large, oak dresser.  
  
Without further hesitation, he hit the 'power' button. The television screen flashed on. Subaru ignored the Chinese soap opera that was on the current station and immediately turned to a local news channel.  
  
Lucky for him, the Count had been kind enough to set up closed-caption to display Japanese. Subaru fell back onto the bed, barely lifting his head enough to see the screen.  
  
". . . Queen Elizabeth had no further comments about the IRA attack in Belfast."  
  
"Thank you, Tom. Earlier this morning, Tokyo was hit by yet another massive earthquake, destroying most of the Toshima district. . ."  
  
Subaru quickly lifted his head. He stared at the television with increasing interest, grabbing the remote control and increasing the volume. A task which did not matter, however, for Subaru did not know enough English to understand what the news anchor was saying.  
  
". . . The Japanese government has withheld any comments about the earthquakes. So far, over one hundred people have been killed as a result of the quakes. Still, no plausible scientific explanation can justify thes—"  
  
The white cat suddenly shut off the television, hoping up to hit the power button with the blunt of its head. It turned its tiny head and glared at Subaru. He merely stared back.  
  
"Am I not allowed to watch the news either?" he asked it. It meekly shook its head. "Then what am I allowed to watch?"  
  
The cat smirked and snatched the remote from Subaru. It tapped the power button with its paw and began to flip through the channels. It finally settled upon a loud, intrusive talk show. The large audience continued to yell, "Jerry! Jerry!"  
  
"And what is this?" Subaru asked.  
  
The cat simply flashed him a 'just-watch-and-see' grin. Subaru shrugged, deciding the show was worth a try; he was certainly trying new things lately.  
  
He watched with peculiar interest as a short, thin, pasty young man persisted to beat the life out of an older, larger, slightly darker man, using a metal folding chair he had apparently stolen from the audience. Two large, burly men in tight black shirts endeavored to tear the two quarreling men apart from each other. To the side, a young woman who appeared to be in her teens was screaming at the two men; however, most of her dialogue had been bleeped out for some reason or another.  
  
Just as Subaru began to find interest in the show, the Count's shrill cry of joy rang in his ears, followed by, "Oh, thank you, Detective!"  
  
Subaru glanced over at his white, feline companion. "What do you think has made the Count so cheerful?" he asked. The cat gave him an all-knowing smile and sprang from the bed, hurdling through the doorway. Subaru shrugged and immediately followed. 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
  
by Kira Seldon  
  
  
  
The white cat fairly flew into D's tea room, tail waving in great enthusiasm. Subaru stumbled in after it, panting. It was amazing how fast cats could run. And he hadn't dared lose sight of her because he was well aware that, without a guide, he could wander around in the corridors of the pet shop for ages.  
  
He stopped, and blinked at the sight before him. D was setting out a large fruit tart, beaming with joy, while his batlike pet dive-bombed him in search of handouts. Sprawled on the couch, tolerant amusement written all over his face, was the ponytailed man from the mall.  
  
The cat, ignoring all else, dived for the tart and stuck her nose into it. Bits of glaze stuck to her whiskers.  
  
"Hey!" protested the visitor, leaning over and snatching the cat out of the pie. "That's not good for you! Besides, it was expensive."  
  
The cat, hanging from his hands, pouted at him.  
  
He laughed, and set her down. She immediately jumped into his lap and started purring in an obvious bid for attention.  
  
D looked up and noticed Subaru, who was hanging uncertainly back near the door. "Come in!" he invited in Japanese.  
  
Subaru shrugged, and took one of the well-stuffed armchairs.  
  
"I saw you in the mall!" the ponytailed man said, in English.  
  
Subaru blinked at him.  
  
D translated, and added, "This is Subaru-san, Detective. Subaru-san," he said, switching to Japanese, "this is Detective Leon Orcot."  
  
"Hajimemashite," Subaru murmured, with the closest approximation of a polite bow that he could manage while sunken in the depths of the chair.  
  
"Nice to meetcha," Leon said, offering his hand. The cat leapt from his lap to the table and headed directly for the tart. D gave her a quelling look, then cut a slice of the tart, put it on a plate, and set the plate on the edge of the table. The cat promptly buried her face in the cream cheese filling, tail waving ecstatically.  
  
Subaru muffled a laugh. Leon looked over at the table, and grinned.  
  
"Cute cat," he commented. The cat preened. D translated for Subaru.  
  
The bat-thing swooped down on the cat's plate and grabbed one of the preserved fruits. With a hiss, the cat pounced on its tail and planted both forefeet firmly. Queeping frantically, the bat-thing tried to tug its tail free. The cat meowed at it, and the bat-thing, quieting a little, queeped in response.  
  
After an intense conversation, the bat-thing dragged off the preserved fruit and the cat settled down to finish off the cream cheese filling.  
  
Leon and Subaru were laughing, and even D looked amused. The cat ignored all of them.  
  
As his two guests calmed down, D passed out slices of the tart and cups of tea.  
  
"So, Detective, why are you here today? I don't recall selling anything dangerous recently. . ."  
  
Leon shrugged. "Really? Well," he said, taking a sheaf of Polaroids out of his jeans pocket, "the chief dumped these on me when I got back from lunch. He said it looked like, quote, 'something you'd be interested in.'"  
  
Although Subaru hadn't understood a word of the conversation so far, he leaned forward to look at the pictures. They were crime-scene shots, showing a home that was literally torn to pieces. Splinters of furniture and chunks of plaster strewed the hacked carpet, and sparking  
  
wires spilled out of the torn walls. There was nothing left intact.  
  
Subaru frowned. It looked familiar. Something about the pattern of damage. . .  
  
"I'm sorry, Detective, I don't know what did this," D said, straightening up.  
  
"Come on," Leon said, looking absolutely astounded. "There weren't any fingerprints on anything, no marks of any weapon. Nothing human did it!"  
  
D smiled and serenely sipped his tea. "Despite what you believe, Detective, I am not behind *every* supernatural event in the city."  
  
Leon flopped back on the couch with a sigh. "Well, then I'm stumped! C'mon, don't you have *any* guesses? The family that lives there's missing. If they're still alive and whatever did *that* has 'em, it could kill them if we don't find it fast."  
  
"Angry ghost?" Subaru murmured to himself, frowning as he picked up one of the pictures. He'd  
  
completely tuned out the incomprehensible conversation. One fingertip traced the broken edge of the wall. The edge was crumbled as if someone had torn huge chunks from the plaster with their bare hands.  
  
D stared at him. "Subaru-san, do you know what did this?"  
  
"I think I recognize it," Subaru frowned. "I'd have to see the place firsthand to be sure, though."  
  
"Can somebody translate for me?" Leon complained.  
  
D repeated what Subaru had said in English.  
  
"Huh. All right," Leon said, standing up. "I can show you the place. It's pretty well wrecked, though."  
  
Subaru looked to D for a translation, feeling very helpless.  
  
Rather than repeating Leon's speech, D whistled loudly. Both humans jumped. The cat fell off the table with a yowl of surprise.  
  
The cat had just clambered back on the table, fur fluffed up, when a large bird swooped in through the door and landed on D's outstretched wrist. It was brilliantly colored, the folded  
  
wings and head iridescing blue and green in the soft lights. Its chest was bright scarlet, the large bill golden tipped with black. It looked like a parrot with several hummingbirds in the family tree.  
  
D murmured to the parrot for a moment, everyone in the room staring at him, and then stretched his hand out towards Subaru. "Here," he said. "This bird can translate for you. I can't come, I need to take care of the animals."  
  
Subaru winced, embarrassed. He'd been hired to take care of D's animals, and here he was going off to look at some ruined house to see whether an angry spirit had destroyed it.  
  
The cat yowled at him.  
  
"Subaru, don't start feeling guilty!!" the parrot translated.  
  
Both Subaru and D stared at the parrot. Leon, left out, crossed his arms and leaned on the wall.  
  
"Did it just translate for the *cat*?" Subaru asked weakly.  
  
D nodded.  
  
Subaru shook his head, ignoring the distant thought that the cat's comment sounded very familiar, and asked, "Can it translate what *I* say?"  
  
"Of course," D said.  
  
Subaru looked at the parrot. "Very useful."  
  
It looked proud.  
  
"Well?" Leon said impatiently. "Are you going to come look at the place or not?"  
  
As soon as the parrot finished translating, Subaru nodded. "Yes, Orcot- san."  
  
The parrot rendered the comment in English. Leon stared at it, then shook his head.  
  
"At least this one's harmless. . ."  
  
Subaru didn't understand that comment any better in Japanese. D just smiled mysteriously.  
  
"Well, come on," Leon said. "It's getting late. I don't want to wander around in that wreck after dark, I'll break my neck."  
  
* * *  
  
The place reeked of hatred.  
  
That was the first thing Subaru felt as he stepped out of the battered undercover vehicle. He leaned back against the side of the car, green eyes slipping closed as he steeled himself against the waves of fury.  
  
"Hey, you all right?" Leon asked, alarmed.  
  
Subaru nodded, opening his eyes and looking at the house.  
  
The shadows of dusk fell heavily across the battered building. Yellow police tape flapped in the breeze. Even this far away, the damage was evident. Chunks of concrete, rent whole  
  
from the sidewalk, lay around the yard. A palm tree, snapped in half like a careless giant's toy, trailed a wilted feather duster of leaves over the cracked wall.  
  
And over everything, like a vandal's red paint, was the stain of anger and hate.  
  
Subaru had to force himself to walk closer to the wreck. Even Leon seemed to sense something; he trailed a few paces behind, looking around nervously.  
  
The breeze died slowly down as Subaru walked closer. The police tape snapped as if it had become a hurricane.  
  
That was the only warning that Subaru had before the place rose in an inchoate storm of destruction.  
  
"What the hell?!" Leon yelled, trying to retreat. The parrot flapped its wings frantically to keep its perch on Subaru's shoulder as Subaru frantically flung out ofuda and activated them. The shield barely coalesced in time to stop the missile.  
  
Fury beat insubstantially on them as the yard erupted. The broken palm tree lashed across the yard like a snake, striking the shield and recoiling time after time. Leon gave a yell of shock as a splintered two-by-four flew at the shield like a spear and rebounded from the thin air five  
  
inches from his chest.  
  
Ignoring the detective, Subaru focused on keeping his shield up. He yelled into the tornado, "Stop it! Stop now!" His voice carried preternatural authority.  
  
A face began to form out of the dust-filled wind. Empty eyes streamed indistinct tears, and the dark hole of the mouth gaped open in agony and anger.  
  
~Die!~ the ghost screamed at them. ~Suffer! Suffer as I do!~  
  
An ornamental boulder uprooted itself and battered the shield. The palm tree snapped around again to press against the other side, searching for a weak spot. Subaru gritted his teeth, and yelled into the wind again.  
  
"Why do you suffer?" If he could just get it *talking*, instead of trying to kill them. . .  
  
The ghost didn't answer. If anything, its efforts increased in violence. Even the brief shadow of form was beginning to dissolve again into the shapeless storm.  
  
Subaru sliced out with one hand, sending a wave of power towards the ghost. The shock knocked it backwards, and the storm briefly stilled. In shocked reaction to the attack,  
  
a body began to form again. The rocks rose as it turned a hollow, tear- streaked face towards them.  
  
Hatred, again. Implacable anger towards those who dared to come here, living and happy. Subaru staggered under the crushing strength of the ghost's anger, and the shield thinned. The ornamental boulder rose once more as he tried to rally, and arrowed viciously towards his head. His green eyes went wide.  
  
"Watch out!" Leon yelled, and the detective hit Subaru from the side in a flying tackle. The parrot squawked and flapped away in a panic. Subaru could feel the fine silk of his borrowed clothing rip along one seam as he hit the debris-strewn ground. The boulder swished harmlessly  
  
through space overhead.  
  
And returned for another pass. "*Move*!" Subaru snarled, and shoved Leon out of the way barely in time to deflect the boulder.  
  
"Some gratitude," Leon muttered, looking at the storm around them as he clambered to his feet.  
  
The ghost raised its arms, and the broken-backed palm tree lurched up from the ground. Green eyes narrowed, and Subaru whipped out an ofuda. A whirl of flame consumed the tree. The ghost retreated a step. It was beginning to solidify a little, and the form of a young woman  
  
flickered and flowed on the dry air. The empty sockets of eyes turned towards them.  
  
It was still, confused, for a moment. Subaru snapped another set of ofuda at the ghost, and began to chant. Trapped within the barrier he erected, the woman's form writhed, hands to  
  
her head.  
  
~Nooooo!~ she howled silently, wind and debris whipping viciously around the inside of the barrier, helpless to escape.  
  
The chant ended. Subaru stepped forward, face hard and cold as glacier ice.  
  
"Who are you?' he asked the furious ghost. The bird translated for Leon's benefit from its new perch on the wall.  
  
The winds stilled, and a human face looked at him. ~Sarah Redding. . . Who are *you*?~  
  
"Subaru," he responded. The ghost looked around, frowning in confusion.  
  
~And him?~  
  
"Detective Leon Orcot-san," Subaru told her. She nodded. Her body had finished coalescing into a smoked-glass sculpture, perfect in every detail. Sarah Redding had been a beautiful  
  
woman, in the mold of a model: hair, shirt and skirt all stylishly short. The shade of her hair, skin and eyes was rendered irrelevant by the ghost's universal misty white color.  
  
Sarah stared at the ofuda that surrounded her. ~Why can't I move?~  
  
Warily, Subaru dropped the shield, and the ofuda fell to the ground as harmless slips of paper. She took a hesitant step forward, then turned to look at the house.  
  
~I know this place. I remember. . . it was. . . his house?~  
  
"Can someone tell me what's going on?" Leon asked plaintively.  
  
Subaru spared him a glance. "I'm talking to the ghost."  
  
The detective shook his head. "Okay.Whatever. Ask it where the family that lived here went."  
  
A good idea. Subaru turned back to Sarah, who was trailing her hand over the holes in the stuccoed wall. "Where are the people who lived here?"  
  
~I did this?~ she murmured to herself, hand stilling on the stucco. ~I don't remember.~  
  
"Please?" Subaru said. "It's important."  
  
~I was angry. . . because. . . they were happy? And I wasn't? I think they ran for their lives,~ Sarah sighed, turning back to him. ~It's all foggy. I don't remember very well. They took  
  
their car.~  
  
"They drove away," Subaru said to Leon.  
  
"And were too scared to say anything? Makes sense, I guess. I'd be panicking if something like this happened to my apartment."  
  
Subaru turned back to the ghost, who became more visible every moment as the sun sank behind the glassy skyscrapers. "Sarah-san, why are you unhappy?"  
  
~You had to ask that question,~ she sighed. Her smile faded as she stared at the wrecked house. ~Mostly because I'm dead,~ she admitted. ~He killed me.~  
  
Subaru frowned. Perhaps the detective should be listening to this story. "One moment, please, Sarah-san," he said, and waved at the parrot. It flapped heavily over and settled on his  
  
shoulder. "Please translate what she says for Orcot-san," he said to the bird.  
  
"Hai," the bird said.  
  
"Go on, Sarah-san."  
  
~He killed me,~ Sarah repeated. ~I was a good actress, but I wasn't a star. I had small parts in big movies, or larger parts in small ones. Nothing memorable. No one noticed me. But then my chance came, a big part in a big movie. It was perfect for me! I knew it, my agent knew it. . . I  
  
would've done anything for that part. I even slept with the director, but it didn't work. They had a big star they wanted, and so they got her.~ She wiped a foggy tear from her cheek. ~It was supposed to be my chance, my breakthrough! After they told me, I didn't know what to do. . . I went home, I had a stash of some good stuff and I took some to cheer myself up. Then I decided to go chew out the directorâ€" that bastard who cheated me out of my chance to be  
  
big. I went. . .~ Suddenly she frowned, and looked around again. ~I came here! But he was talking to someone, I didn't see either of them, I came running up and. . . and he turned  
  
around and he shot me.~ Her hand came up to cover the center of her chest. ~I don't remember much else. Just being angry. He cheated me out of every chance I would ever have.~  
  
"But you can't be angry about it forever," Subaru pointed out.  
  
A smile flitted across Sarah's face. ~Want to bet? I don't plan on forgiving the bastard.~  
  
"You remember his name?" Leon asked, scribbling on a dog-eared pad. Subaru relayed the question.  
  
~David Wilcox,~ Sarah replied, frowning. ~What're you doing?~  
  
"I'm going to check up on it," Leon shrugged. "I haven't heard anything about a murder case from this area. It might've been before my time."  
  
~A murder case? Me?~ Sarah frowned. ~Dave lived here for a long time after I died. I think.~  
  
"Well, I'll see," Leon said, and slipped the pad back into his jeans pocket. "Guy like that, probably involved in drugs and all sorts of shit. Even if he didn't land in jail over something else, he'd probably have gotten shot by now. Do you know how long ago this was. . .?"  
  
~The year I died was 1964.~  
  
"Damn. Way before my time. I'll check for you."  
  
Sarah nodded, and looked around at the house. ~Tell the people who lived here I'm sorry. I didn't mean to destroy their home.~  
  
"Yeah, sure," Leon replied after the parrot repeated Sarah's request.  
  
Sarah sighed, and turned her misty face up towards the darkening sky. ~What year is it now?~  
  
"1999," Subaru replied.  
  
She shook her head. ~It's been too long. Thanks for the wake-up call, and can you help me catch the bus out of here?~  
  
"Of course," Subaru said, almost smiling.  
  
~Thanks. Hey, take care,~ she called as Subaru began chanting the exorcism. She looked over at Leon, and her smile flashed out again like a slice of sunlight. ~Hey, Detective, if that bastard is still alive throw the book at him!~  
  
"Will do," Leon grinned.  
  
And Sarah streamed into nothing on the evening breeze.  
  
The two men stood in silence for a while as the stars struggled to shine through the LA smog. Finally, Leon sighed.  
  
"Man, if I hadn't known D for so long, I wouldn't believe what I just saw. Did you really throw fire at her?"  
  
"Yes," Subaru said. He transferred the parrot to his wrist, and started walking back to Leon's car. The wrecked cheongsam fluttered around his legs. He doubted that the Count would  
  
be pleased to see the ruin of his borrowed clothes.  
  
"Geez," Leon said, shaking his head, and unlocked the car. "Ghosts, magic. . . Y'know, just as I get used to one weird thing, something else comes along."  
  
Subaru nodded absently and climbed into the passenger seat. The bird settled on one knee, talons digging into the dusty silk.  
  
"You seem pretty used to it, though," Leon said, and started the car. The engine coughed, choked, sputtered and finally settled down into a rhythm rather like a busy night on the emphysema ward. "Damn car," he muttered. "You'd think they'd get us something that wouldn't fall apart in the middle of the street at speeds over sixty. Do you do stuff like that *often*?" he asked, glancing over at Subaru.  
  
"It's my job," Subaru said.  
  
"Seriously? I wouldn't think enough people believed in that stuff to make for a job. They sure don't here."  
  
"The family who lived in that house probably believe in ghosts," Subaru said.  
  
"Good point." The car sputtered to a stop at a red light, and Leon glanced over at Subaru's unemotional expression. "Sounds like a dangerous job, if you get called in for stuff like that. Is that what happened to your eye?"  
  
Subaru flinched, and looked away. The neon of the city reflected in both unseeing eyes, green and white. "No," he said shortly.  
  
"Sorry, didn't mean to pry," Leon shrugged.  
  
"It's all right," Subaru said quietly. "But please don't mention my eye." The memories were still vivid, but overlaid now with the bitter realization that the whole grand tragedy was over. It was easier, if he wanted to make some kind of a life here, just not to think about any of it. It was past. It was gone. There had never been any such person as Seishirou-san.  
  
Leon, watching the road, didn't notice the crystalline tear slide silently down Subaru's cheek. 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
  
by Saka-chan  
  
  
  
Count D perked his head up as he heard heavy footsteps emanate from the entrance hall. The small white cat, too, lifted her head from its rested position. She quickly bounded out of the back room in a flash of white fur and glowing green eyes.  
  
A very worn out Detective Orcot and Subaru entered the back room. The remaining silk of Subaru's borrowed cheongsam was matted with dust and dirt. Subaru knew without a doubt he would be paying for the outfit with what little money he made from his paycheck.  
  
The Count, however, did not seem to notice the ragged cheongsam. If he did, no one in the room was able to tell.  
  
The parrot, too, was covered all over with dust and tiny debris. Its dark eyes held a look of severe shock, wide and frightened. And Detective Orcot. . . well, he did not look *as* bad as Subaru. But he came awfully close.  
  
"How was it?" D asked.  
  
"Where the hell did you find this kid?" Leon asked, pointing fervently at Subaru. "He exorcized a ghost from that house, and it didn't even bother him! He just stood there, chanting whatever the hell that spell was! If anybody else had faced a ghost like that, they would've shit their pants!!" He started panting, trying to catch the breath lost by his statement.  
  
Subaru gave him an uneasy look, after hearing what the parrot had translated. He smoothed frays of his dark hair away from his face. Sadness and exhaustion overwhelmed his emerald green eyes. The cat saw this and stared up at Subaru with sympathy.  
  
Subaru approached the Count, his head bowed and his hands folded in front of him. "I'm sorry about the cheongsam," he spoke solemnly. "I will be sure to pay for it."  
  
"It is all right," D said with a smile. "I have many more."  
  
The cat appeared to be smirking. Count D looked down at it, muttering, "Oh, shut up." The cat followed with a knell of breathy meows that sounded much like laughter. The parrot that had been sitting atop Subaru's shoulder flew off into one of the back rooms, probably to try and sleep off the trauma it had just witnessed.  
  
"Well," Leon said, stretching his arms out, "I was supposed to get off about two hours ago. I'll be leaving you two."  
  
"Oh, Detective, won't you please stay for some tea?" D asked Leon with the innocence of a five-year-old. God, what was it with Count D and having tea and sweets?  
  
Leon smiled, shaking his head. "Sorry, Count. I've got an early shift tomorrow. I need to go home and sleep." As the detective began walking out toward the main parlor room, Subaru heard him mutter, "'Course after tonight, God only knows how I'll be able to get to sleep. . ." No one else seemed to have heard this, and the parrot did not translate the line for him. He could only guess what the detective had said.  
  
The white cat joyously leapt into Subaru's limp arms. He held the cat lightly, tired from having to act as a medium. It had only been a few months since his last "job," but it seemed like ages to the angsty thirteenth head of the Sumeragi clan.  
  
The cat meowed, staring up into Subaru's eyes. 'Those eyes,' Subaru thought, staring down at the cat. 'They're so familiar. . .'  
  
"I think she wants you to call it a day," D commented, interrupting Subaru's thoughts.  
  
"Huh?" Subaru whirled his head around to face the mysterious Count. "I'm sorry, what was that you said?"  
  
"I think your friend would like you to get some rest. You have had a long day. You deserve your sleep."  
  
"Oh. . . okay," Subaru nodded. "What time do you want me to get on tomorrow?"  
  
"Anytime around 7," D smiled. "I'll have a set of written instructions on feeding the animals for you when you get up."  
  
"Thanks," Subaru bowed. He stalked off toward the back rooms, toward his makeshift bedroom. Upon entering, the small cat escaped his embrace and fell onto the blue covered bed. Subaru swiftly shut the door and followed suit with the cat. He groaned, the day's events slowly seeping from his slender frame.  
  
The cat slowly edged toward him and started stroking his short hair with the top of her head. This cat was smart. She probably sensed Subaru's penned up stress. Subaru lifted his hand and brushed the smooth white fur with his long, gaunt fingers. She began to purr, nuzzling his hand with her nose.  
  
Subaru smiled. For the second time in almost a week.  
  
* * *  
  
Subaru carefully looked over the handwritten directions Count D had given him on how to feed the animals. D had been very specific in his instructions, and Subaru wondered why there was a need for such caution.  
  
Perhaps it had something to do with the detective's earlier comment, "At least this one's harmless. . ."  
  
Subaru shook his head. He had a job to do, and if he wanted to keep his job he would do what D told him. No questions asked. No answers really wanted.  
  
Subaru could not read the names of the animals for they were written in English. For the customers, of course. Luckily, Subaru could match the pictures of the strange creatures with the creatures in the tank. Some he found to be quite amusing. Others were just frightening.  
  
There was one in particular that caught Subaru's interest. It was an all black salamander-like thing; thin, muscular body with a long, lashing tail. It had eyes that had the ability to pierce into the skull of any passers- by. Its left eye was a beatiful honey color, while the other was a stark white.  
  
Subaru shuddered, duly noting the resemblence between it and Seishirou.  
  
"Seishirou-san. . ."  
  
The quick sting that only a cat's claw can provide broke Subaru from his trance. He pulled away from the black lizard's tank, whirling around to come face-to-face with the small white kitten that inhabited the Count's petshop.  
  
Actually, it was more ankle-to-face, given the kitten's size.  
  
"You really don't like me thinking about my past, do you?" he asked the cat with a raised eyebrow. The cat shook her head and peered up at Subaru. Her eyes gleemed at him, as if she were trying to say, 'Stop feeling sorry for yourself. It's all over now. You're safe.'  
  
Subaru nodded. The cat was right. Everything that happened had happened in the past. There was no reason to feel bad about anything.  
  
Wait, did he just say a *cat* was right? She did not even know what had gone on not two weeks previous. How could she be right about something she knew nothing about?  
  
The cat glared at him, as if scolding him for not taking her seriously.  
  
"I'm sorry," he bowed. "I will take your advice."  
  
The cat seemed to smile and let out a short, high meow.  
  
Just then, Subaru heard the door to the petshop open. He heard D's greeting of, "Welcome, gentlemen. I am Count D. Welcome to my petshop." It was in English. Lucklily, Subaru had the parrot D had loaned him.  
  
Subaru creeped around the hall to peer into the parlor room at the front of the petshop. A man in a fine navy business suit and a woman in a completely black lace dress sat down on a silk couch opposite from D's chair. The little bat-mouse creature sat upon the Count's shoulder, peering around the room in scattered interested. D was speaking with the customers in his usual cool tone.  
  
"You must be me Mr. and Mrs. Harrison," he continued with mellow appeal.  
  
"We just need something that will preoccupy my wife. Since Madeleine died. . ." Mr. Harrison's face became low and solemn. His wife's shrill cry rang throughout the petshop.  
  
"The death of a loved one, especially a child, can be terribly heartbreaking," D said, sounding so sincere and so full of BS at the same time. Kind of like members of the clergy.  
  
"Yes, I believe I have the perfect pet for you." The Count grinned, almost devilishly. It sent shivers all through Subaru's spine.  
  
'How does he DO that?!' Subaru thought wide-eyed.  
  
"Please follow me." Mr. and Mrs. Harrison removed themselves from the soft comfort of the silk couch and followed D into the back. Subaru followed, curious as to what kind of pets D sold customers that were not on display in the main room.  
  
Making sure to keep a distance of at least fifteen feet, Subaru pursued the small group. Mrs. Harrison was still sobbing, her husband consoling her as best he could. They were led into the hallway opposite from the one Subaru's current room was. They walked all the way down the hallway, entering the furthest room. Subaru ducked into a nearby doorway so the Count would not notice him as he led the greiving couple into the far room.  
  
Subaru would just have to listen through the door to know what was going on.  
  
Once D had closed the door, Subaru creeped closer. He knelt right before the door, placing the parrot that now sat on his wrist close enough so that it could hear. The small white cat had followed him, and was now resting its head right next to the door.  
  
The voices were soft, muffled; yet somehow, the parrot was able to discern enough of the conversation to be able to give Subaru a proper translation.  
  
"Oh my God. . ."  
  
"What is it, dear?"  
  
"That. . . that cat! It looks like. . . like. . . like Madeleine!!"  
  
"What are you talking about? It's just a cat. A Parisian short hair."  
  
"Don't you see it?! It's Madeleine!!" Mrs. Harrison shreaked with joy.  
  
"Margret, I know you miss Madeleine. But I'm telling you that this is just a cat. Madeleine is not a cat!"  
  
"Are you saying I'm lying? Just look at her! She looks just like she did before she died. . ." Mrs. Harrison began to weep.  
  
"Look, I don't know what you've done to my wife, but can you please tell her that this is not Madeleine? This is a CAT!!" Mr. Harrison was now yelling at the Count.  
  
"Mr. Harrison, all animals look different to the people who own them. Some look to be human, often replacing a person who has left their lives recently."  
  
"Madeleine!! Oh, thank God you're still here!!. . ."  
  
"That's not Madeleine!!"  
  
"Madeleine. . . you're safe. . ."  
  
"Count, tell her that's not our daughter!"  
  
"I am not at liberty, Mr. Harrison. What you view to be just another cat, your wife views as your recently deceased daughter."  
  
"Oh, Madeleine. . ."  
  
"STOP IT!! Look, I don't know what kind of business you're running. . ."  
  
"David, please. . . Can't you see that this is your daughter?"  
  
"That is NOT my DAUGHTER!!"  
  
"Mr. Harrison, if you are interested in buying this pet. . ."  
  
"That is NOT Madeleine!!"  
  
"David, how can you not see?! Your daughter is sitting right in front of you!"  
  
"That is not Madeleine!!"  
  
"Count, we will buy her from you. How much?"  
  
"Right this way. . ."  
  
Subaru hopped back from the door and into a doorway near where Count D and the Harrisons were exiting the small back room. They walked over to another room only two doors away from Subaru's hiding place.  
  
D closed the new door, and Subaru sighed in relief that no one had noticed him. It was bad enough that he was spying on the Count. He sure as hell did not want to get fired this early into his new job.  
  
Subaru quietly crawled over to the new room and again knelt just before the door. The parrot immedietly took up its position right next to the door.  
  
"In order to own a pet of this high of quality, you must agree to three things."  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"First, you must never allow anyone to see or view her. Second, you must make sure she is always well fed and well cared for. Third, you must never make sure she is always watched over, and that she does not wander off where you cannot see her."  
  
"Of course! Of course, I will do what you ask!!"  
  
"I don't know. . ."  
  
"Please, David!! It's bad enough we lost Madeleine the first time. I don't want to loose her again!!" Mrs. Harrison began weeping violently. Subaru pitied the woman, wondering what had happened to her daughter before her death.  
  
"I. . . I guess it's all right. . ."  
  
"Are you sure, Mr. Harrison? For once you sign this contract, you must agree to fulfill all three of the requirements."  
  
"Please, David! It cannot be that difficult."  
  
"Well. . ." Mr. Harrison paused for a moment, probably thinking whether or not buying this cat was a good idea. Afterall, the death of his daughter had been heartwrenching enough. The fact that his wife truly believed this cat was his daughter come back from the dead was too much.  
  
"All right. Where do I sign?"  
  
"Right here, Mr. Harrison."  
  
"Oh, thank you, David!"  
  
The movement of chairs sounded inside the room. "Thank you for doing business with me, Mr. Harrison. I hope you are very pleased with your new pet."  
  
"Hmm. . ."  
  
"Come on, Madeleine. We're going home!"  
  
Subaru jumped away from the door and ran into the back display room where he had been feeding the animals. Maybe D would not notice that he had been eavesdropping. Though he could not be too sure.  
  
As the Harrisons left the petshop, Subaru stepped out from behind one of the screens and into the parlor room. He saw Mr. Harrison, a very happy Mrs. Harrison, and a small, black cat that had penetrating blue eyes. Subaru was creeped out most by the eyes. They seemed almost. . . human.  
  
"Another sale?" Subaru asked calmly, as if he had not listened to the whole thing behind closed doors.  
  
"Mm hmm," D nodded.  
  
"The woman certainly looks pleased."  
  
"Yes." D's tone lowered. "Hopefully, they will not make the same mistake twice."  
  
Subaru did not understand what the Count meant by this.  
  
Perhaps it was best that he did not know.  
  
* * *  
  
Subaru looked at his white feline companion. It was currently batting its paws at his lunch: Shrimp Lo Mein with vegetables. Subaru softly grinned and placed a large piece of shrimp in front of the kitten. She quickly grabbed it up and greedily shoved it into her mouth. Small dots of Lo Mein sauce marked the side of her mouth. Subaru chuckled.  
  
It had been two days since that couple had bought the black cat, the woman claiming it to be her dead daughter Madeleine. Subaru wondered if they were enjoying their pet. He had not seen them in the past couple days. Of course, that was to be expected in a big city like Los Angeles.  
  
The experience had made him think. Did Mrs. Harrison honestly believe that a cat could be her daughter? The idea seemed proposterous.  
  
Of course, Subaru had lately had the lingering suspicion about his white kitten friend. She seemed so much like Hokuto-chan; her eyes, her attitude. . .  
  
Subaru chuckled again. Yeah, right. Hokuto-chan had been reincarnated into the body of a white cat. The idea seemed so. . . far fetched.  
  
Of course, considering what he had been doing in Tokyo for the past few months was not exactly normal. . .  
  
Subaru mentally slapped himself. 'I will NOT think about Tokyo. I will NOT think about anyone IN Tokyo!'  
  
The kitten stared up at him, its face now completely covered in Subaru's Lo Mein. It grinned at him, its white smile now a tannish brown. Subaru grinned, shaking his head.  
  
"You know who you remind me of?" he asked, staring straight into the cat's eyes. She innocently stared back.  
  
She replied with a small meow.  
  
"Heh, I guess so. And how do you know who I'm talking about?"  
  
She meowed again, giving him an all-knowing grin.  
  
His minute smile widened. He snatched a slice of bamboo up with his chopstick and shoved it into his mouth.  
  
A knock at the door interupted his lunch. Subaru swallowed his food, sighed, then got up to go open the door.  
  
Detective Orcot pushed his way into the petshop, nearly knocking Subaru over with his force. "Where's D?" he demanded hastily. Subaru did not notice the cakebox in the man's right hand.  
  
Subaru gave him the same confused look he had given him in the mall three days ago. Leon was getting fed up with this. Just once, he would like to find someone in Chinatown, other than the Count, who could actually speak fluent English.  
  
Good thing for both men, the translating parrot flew into the parlor room and sat atop Subaru's shoulder. It stared at Leon with cold, judging eyes.  
  
Leon ignored the parrot's icy gaze. "Where's D?"  
  
"Probably in the back, checking on the animals."  
  
"Is something wrong, Detective?" Count D glided out from behind one of the laquered screens. He must have heard the Detective's yelling from the back rooms.  
  
'How the hell does he DO that?!' Leon thought. He shook the thought from his head, his mind already preset on a mission.  
  
"I need to talk to you, D," he said seriously.  
  
"Of course, Detective," the Count nodded. He had no need to lead the officer into the back tea room. He already knew where to go.  
  
"What has happened to cause you to grace our presence?"  
  
"A married couple, Mr. David Harrison and Mrs. Margret Harrison, were found dead in their suburban home earlier this morning. The neighbors said they had heard a commotion coming from the house just that night previous."  
  
"Yes, the Harrisons. I remember them." Subaru was amazed that the Count did not even have to pause to think about who his customers were. Talk about excellent customer service.  
  
"You sold them one of your creatures, didn't you?"  
  
"Yes. I sold them a Parisian short hair. Black, if I remember correctly. Quite a beautiful cat. It was saddening to let her go."  
  
"Cut the crap, D! What you sold them *killed* them!" Leon had jumped out of his seat and was yelling right at the Count.  
  
The Count, however, did not faulter. "Oh, I am sorry to hear that. If I may, what happened to them?"  
  
No one had noticed Subaru slowly edging to the end of his seat. The parrot had done an excellent job of translating, and Subaru was really getting into the conversation.  
  
Leon suddenly mellowed. Strange for the hostile American detective. "They were scratched to death. . . by what appears to be a cat." 


End file.
